How Many SPIDER-Family Characters SONY Has, & Which One They Say Is 'Awesome'

By Chris Arrant, Editor July 19, 2017 08:10am ET

Credit: Marko Djurdjevic (Marvel Comics)

Credit: John Romita Jr./Terry Austin (Marvel Comics)

What makes the head of a major Hollywood studio immerse himself in old comic books? When you’re the president of Columbia Pictures and have the rights to approximately 900 Spider-Man-related Marvel characters (according to Variety), you’re going to spend some office hours going through longboxes.

“With the Sony universe of Marvel characters, our mission is only to do what’s the absolute best for each individual property,” Sanford Panitch, president of the Sony-owned Columbia Pictures, told Variety. “I just want to honor the original DNA.”

Each of Sony's Spider-Man-related pictures will have its own distinct style, ranging from R-rated fare like 2018's Venom to unspecificed "low-budgeted offerings."

Venom and Silver & Black are the only two Spider-Man spin-off films confirmed, but Variety made it a point to ask about Kraven - saying that Panitch shared fans' "enthusiasm" and "love" for the character but went short of announcing anything.

“He’s an awesome character,” Panitch said. “Let’s just leave it at that."